A buoyant, inflatable target for naval gunfire.
As in all other types of gunnery, naval gunners require a target to shoot at not only to train them, but also to test their continuing skills. Naval warfare involves shipborne weapons and floating objects to be hit by gunfire. Training for these events inherently should involve a target that floats and moves in much the same manner as objects such as boats which would be an expected objective, and of the vessel carrying the weapon.
Here the problem is that in testing, one cannot provide a large number of xe2x80x9chard targetsxe2x80x9d. There simply is not room for them in the inventory and they cost too much. Instead, it is common practice to provide buoyant inflatable and collapsible structures for targets. These can be made to a scale respective to a targeting problem. They can be folded to small size so that many can be stored, and can quickly be inflated to full size and launched onto the water.
It is an inherent shortcoming of these that they are susceptible not only to water currents and waves, but more particularly to the wind. Instead, such light weight, small mass targets tend to move around in a most independent manner, not properly simulative of the movements of a true targeted object. There have been previous attempts to reduce these adverse effects but they have proved to involve problems of their own. Known sea anchors of the parachute type tend to sink the target and resist its recovery. Attached drogue chutes tend to prevent the tilting movement needed for convenient recovery of the target.
It is an object of this invention to provide an inflatable floating target whose movements in the water are closely simulative of the movement of a body of substantial mass and stability so as to establish a truer test of the gunner""s skills.
It is another object of this invention to provide an inflatable target that maintains a generally upright orientation. Previously-known inflatable targets have had the tendency to topple or roll over unless provided with excessive stiffening and ballasting. This invention provides its advantages in a generally flexible structure, overall, with minimal ballast.
In addition this invention provides means to enable the target conveniently to be tilted for recovery.
While integrated drogue chutes and sea anchors have been suggested for these purposes, they fail in several respects. As to known drogue chutes, they cannot be emptied to permit convenient recovery of the target. As to sea anchors, they can actually fall beneath the target, and hold the target so steadily that it can be destroyed by-strong waves, and can even sink it.
The invention includes an inflatable impermeable membrane superstructure formed to a shape useful for a target. Usually this will have a square or a rectangular horizontal section, although curved or complex structures could be provided instead. The superstructure includes a top, a bottom, and a side wall connecting them to form a fluid tight structure.
A drogue chute has an upper edge attached to the bottom of the superstructure, and a side wall departing from said upper edge and terminating at a lower end, preferably having a decreasing horizontal cross-section as it approaches its lower end. The side walls have ports to permit a limited flow of water from the outside of the drogue chute into and through the internal chamber of the drogue chute.
As a feature of this invention, the lower end of the drogue chute is weighted by a ballast weight so as to draw the drogue chute structure toward its deployed condition, and a flexible line is fastened at one of its ends to the drogue chute, preferably at or near its lower end. A float is attached to the other end of the line so it will be accessible when the target is to be recovered.
As an optional feature, a floatable rope may be secured above the waterline for ease of retrieval. With such a rope, a separate float will not be necessary. The rope itself will be atop the water for retrieval.